Common Breastfeeding Problems

Yeast Infections or Thrush continued...

Signs of thrush include red or pink shiny skin that
usually itches, and may flake or peel, says pediatrician Audrey Naylor, MD. To
learn if your baby is infected, look for white spots on the inside of the
cheeks, or sometimes a persistent diaper rash.

You might also find that you have symptoms of a
vaginal yeast infection -- a clumpy white discharge and extreme
itchiness.

If you do have a breast yeast infection, Naylor says
you don't have to stop breastfeeding. But you and your baby do need
treatment.

"See your doctor and let her or him
make a recommendation for treatment. Don't try to buy a drugstore product and
treat the infection yourself," says Naylor. While some products are safe to
use while breastfeeding, others are not. Only your doctor will know for certain
what is right for you and your baby.

Engorged Breasts

Engorgement is normal and can develop when your milk
begins to flood your breasts, usually between the second and sixth day after
you start nursing your baby.

"Once milk starts to come into the ducts, there is
also a flooding of lymph fluid and blood, which causes the tissue in the breast
to swell," says Sterner.

Because that swollen tissue pushes down on the milk
ducts, the ducts can sometimes clamp shut. When milk can't be expressed, it
builds up inside the breast and engorgement occurs.

Sterner says your best solution is to place cold packs
on the breast, along with clean washed cabbage leaves. Leave these on your skin
for about 20 minutes. Both can help reduce the swelling and allow the ducts to
open.

"Right before you are ready to nurse, put a warm
pack on your nipples for a few minutes -- this will also help with the 'let
down' [milk flow] and can encourage feeding," says Sterner.

Showers are not recommended when you have
engorged breasts, warns Sterner. The warm, pounding water can dilate blood
vessels, increasing the swelling and congestion in your breast.

"Most important is to keep on nursing,"
Huotari tells WebMD. "The more milk that is expressed, the less chance you
have of engorgement."